Monthly Archives: December 2013

2013 brought a lot of crazy news stories: happy things, sad things, funny things, and just plain bizarre things. See how much you know about the wacky things that happened in 2013. Guess which stories below are TRUE and which ones are FALSE. Ready? Go!

Have you ever noticed that the way people talk changes over time? Words that used to be popular start to sound annoying after a while, and new words that you never heard of before start to sound cool and fun. So today’s Writing Prompt is a question for you. What was the most popular new word of 2013? Continue reading →

Are you a fan of Jessie? We definitely are! We were lucky enough to catch up with Cameron Boyce, who stars on the show, to talk about being good to the planet and the importance of reading books—even baby books. Read more below! Continue reading →

Do you have a winter coat that doesn’t fit you anymore? Don’t throw it away! Donate it to the Warm Coats Warm Hearts Drive, a campaign that is giving away free coats to families who need them. Here is a great way to bring some warmth into someone’s life AND recycle at the same time, making the world a better place in 2 ways!

What
New or gently used coats (must have working closures, and no rips or stains)

WhenNow!

Where
The Salvation Army and other organizations in your community may be collecting coats. Ask your parents, teachers, or youth group leaders if they know.

Go check the back of your closet to see if you have coats that you won’t be wearing this winter. Or you could go one step further — organize a coat drive and get everyone in your school to donate their coats. Someone can definitely use them this winter!

At the end of November I asked you to share which books you were reading so we could all see which titles were most popular. Then I made a word cloud so we could all see—I think there were a lot of ties! It seems Percy Jackson and Harry Potter are still leading the pack.

Let’s keep this going. Tell me in the Comments the titles of the books you’re reading right now, and I’ll make another word cloud at the end of next month. Can’t wait to see what title reigns supreme next time!

I love food so much! Seriously, books and food are the best things in life. That’s why I hate when I have to choose between 2 delicious foods. How do you decide? Take this Would You Rather Quiz and let us know your food faves.

Cake OR ice cream?

Chocolate OR vanilla?

Potato chips OR popcorn?

Bring your lunch OR eat cafeteria food?

Waffles OR pancakes?

Muffins OR cinnamon rolls?

Do you sit down for breakfast OR grab something and run out the door?

Eat in a restaurant OR take out?

Fast food OR fancy restaurant?

Pizza OR mac and cheese?

Baked from scratch OR bought from a bakery?

Milkshake OR smoothie?

Wings OR nachos?

50 lbs of french fries OR 50 lbs of potato chips?

Leave your answers in the Comments, and I hope you all get to eat loads of your favorite foods!— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Who has inspired you? Wowed you? Made you want to be a better person? Maybe you look up to him or her. Or maybe it is someone so incredibly talented and entertaining, that you couldn’t get through the day without listening to his or her music, or reading his or her stories.

Just write your nomination in the Comments below. The nominee who gets the most votes by December 31st will be named STACKS Person of the Year. We’ll announce the winner in 2014!

We can’t wait to see your nominees. Come on back on January 2 to find out the 2013 STACKS Person of the Year!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work as one of Santa’s elves making toys at the North Pole? What would your elf name be? Use this Name Generator to create your very own elf name.

Find the first initial of your first name in the list below. That word is your first Elf Name. Then look at the list of months below and find the month of your birthday. That word is your last Elf Name.

So if your name starts with an “S” and you were born in September, your name would be Tiny Pointy-Ears! Tee hee! Continue reading →

Wrapping paper has its roots in Victorian England. Wealthy people would use fancy tissue paper decorated with ribbons and lace to present gifts.This was how people wrapped gifts until 1917, when an accidental discovery gave birth to the wrapping paper we are now so familiar with.

Two brothers—Joyce and Rollie Hall—ran out of tissue paper in their Kansas City, MO stationery store, so they started selling paper used to line envelopes instead. The paper was a huge hit, and Joyce and Rollie Hall expanded their store, Hallmark, into a company that sells greeting cards and lots and lots of wrapping paper!

Paper isn’t the only way to wrap gifts.Traditional Japanese cloth, known as furoshiki, is one gift wrap that’s stayed popular in Japanese culture since nearly 700 C.E. Recently, the Japanese Environment Ministry has been encouraging more people to use furoshiki instead of wrapping paper because it’s reusable and better for the environment.

Other ways to be eco-friendly with gift wrap? Try using newspaper, paper bags, and old maps or calendars. They make unique and planet-friendly alternatives to traditional wrapping paper! Take a look at these awesome examples . . . .

Get creative with your gift wrapping this season! Do you have any ideas for cool wrapping paper options? Share in the Comments!